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I think it’s safe to say that most moms want to get back in shape after pregnancy, myself included. On both my pregnancies I ate what I craved and when I was hungry (pretty much all day). I also kept myself active during pregnancy. I knew that after labor and with my doctor’s approval, I was going to go back to exercising. I had a cesarian again with baby number two so, I had to wait longer to start hitting the weights. Meanwhile, I tried eating less and healthy even though I didn’t have much appetite.
When Alex was born our gym membership had just expired. My husband and I didn’t know if we wanted to renew it or not. We decided that making our trip to the gym and back would take too long and we didn’t think it would be easy with two kids. We then decided to invest in a great elliptical for our home. We tested one that we just loved and thought it was worth the splurge. If you are wondering which one we got it’s the Matrix A50 from Johnson Fitness and Wellness. This is a big piece of equipment and one of the best in the market. Anyways, I used our elliptical about 4 times a week but I felt that I needed a more “complete” exercise. I had heard great things about the Kayla Itsines BBG (Bikini Body Guide) program so I decided to add that to my exercise routine. Her exercise program lasts 28 minutes. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you follow the program which consists of upper body, lower body, and abs. Each day has a different exercise routine. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you can either do LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State cardio) or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). I usually do the Sprint 8 Program as my HIIT exercise (20 minutes of interval sprints). I occasionally go for a run on the tracks since it’s better on your knees. Since my knees can hurt when I ran, I don’t run too often even though I really enjoy it.
I did 5 weeks of BBG before I went to Hawaii in January. I was so determined to be in a better shape before our trip that I workout out really hard. I knew I was going to be in a bikini every day so I was very motivated at that time. When I got back from vacation I stopped the program for about two months. I wasn’t doing it consistently and I kept making excuses not to workout. It’s so easy to fall behind and stop exercising. Luckily, I had a great group of friends on Instagram who were doing the program and kept me motivated to start over. Right now I am on week 8 of the program and I feel great! I don’t have a 6-pack or anything but I feel great. Even though 8 weeks doesn’t sound much, I noticed a big difference in my body. In the beginning of the program, I could barely do 5 pushups. Now I can easily do 15 or more. I feel stronger and good about my body. I think I look in better shape than I was before I was pregnant.
If you are looking into getting in shape, I 100 percent recommend Kayla’s BBG program. You can check out her Instagram page (@kayla_itsines) to see how many lives her program has changed! I have to say, sometimes I dread working out but, I push myself to do it. The more consistent you are, the more you create a habit of exercising. The great thing about the program is that you start slow and gradually advance to a higher level.
Here are few things that help me with my workouts:
- Working out as early as possible. If it’s too late in the day, I end up getting tired or lazy and I don’t do it.
- Cute workout clothes! Yes, that keeps me motivated. Those beautiful leggings from LILYBOD are awesome. They have tons of different looking leggings. I love them and I need more! Check out their website for more options: https://usa.lilybod.com/
- Have something to look forward to. Summer and going on a vacation always keeps me motivated.
- Imagine how great you will feel when your workout is over. I always have a sense of accomplishment when I am done working out.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Now I want to hear from you! Do you struggle to exercise? Tell me your story!
Have a wonderful weekend!
